1. Field
Example embodiments relate to a backlight unit and a display apparatus employing the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have a structure wherein about half the amount of light supplied by a backlight unit may be absorbed by a polarization plate under an LCD panel as a result of a method of adjusting gray scale using a polarized state of incident light. Such a method may cause problems, including inefficient use of energy, deterioration of materials due to heat generated by absorbed light, and limitations with regard to brightness. One potential solution to these problems may be to increase light efficiency in the LCD.
As a design solution for these problems, various polarization recycling structures for re-using a portion of light that is absorbed by the polarization plate have been proposed. One proposal is to use a dual brightness enhancement film (DBEF) film developed by 3M company for such a purpose. However, a DBEF film may be relatively expensive, thus increasing costs. In addition, optical films (e.g., polarization plates used on both sides of a display) may add considerably to the cost of the panel. Furthermore, costs will increase with the size of a display.